Friday, July 13, 2007 25 dengue cases admitted in 1 day
MORE and more people are being admitted to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) because of dengue, adding to the hospital’s already congested wards.
For July, the most number of dengue admissions were recorded last Wednesday at the VSMMC.
Twenty-five patients were admitted last July 11, most of whom were from southern Cebu. Majority are from San Fernando, with nine patients.
July 10 had 20 admissions, up from nine admissions the previous day.
Last July 1, there were only six admissions. The daily monitoring this month showed an erratic number of dengue admissions.
Other diseases
Aside from dengue, other diseases brought about by the rainy season contributed to the hospital’s congestion.
The medical center, however, has an “express lane” to answer the growing number of patients.
VSMMC Public Information Officer Eleodoro Mongaya explained that the patient is met by the guard on duty, who will guide the patient to either the dengue holding area or the pediatric cubicle.
If the patient had fever for two to five days and is bleeding, he will be brought to the dengue holding area where the staff will get his medical history and give him a physical examination, tourniquet test and intravenous fluids.
If laboratory results suggest dengue hemorrhagic fever, admission at the hospital is then recommended. Those without laboratory results will undergo a complete blood count (CBC) and platelet determination. The patient will be observed until laboratory results are in.
As of July 7, Cebu City still has the most number of dengue patients in the region. Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu) Coordinator Rennan Cimafranca, however, explained that the cases were not clustered.
There were 281 dengue cases with three deaths reported in the city.
Topnotcher
Cebu City consistently topped the dengue chart in the region. The city recorded 320 cases and 11 deaths during the same period last year.
Tagbilaran City, declared a dengue hotspot by the Department of Health (DOH) 7, recorded the second most number of dengue cases this year, with 78 and two deaths. Last year, Tagbilaran did not figure in the top ten.
Dumaguete City, also a hotspot, ranked third this year, from fifth last year.
Dumaguete recorded 58 cases and one death this year. Minglanilla followed with 68 cases and seven deaths. An outbreak was declared in six of its barangays following six deaths in June alone.
Mandaue City also figured in the list with 60 cases and five deaths. Talisay City reported 32 cases and three deaths. The two areas were also declared hotspots.
The region reported 1,145 dengue cases this year. This is 10 percent less than in the same period last year. The deaths increased, though, with 30 this year compared to 27 last year. (JGA)
